Disclaimer: The Charmed Characters are the property of Aaron Spelling and Constance Burge. I just borrow them for your enjoyment and my writing addiction.

The Challenge.

Prue 8
Piper 6
Phoebe 3


Little Phoebe tossed in her day bed. She wasn’t quite ready for a big girl bed yet but her Grams had promised her one on her birthday. She didn’t know how far away that was. She just knew that she would be getting one. At the age of three she was still very small for her age. Most people thought that she was a two. So Grams had kept her in her day bed a bit longer then her sisters had been when they were that age. With her power of premonition she was also more apt to fall out of bed.

She had been having a premonition every night for the past two weeks. But to her it was just a bad dream. Waking up scared the first thing she did was start to cry. Then she tried to get out of her bed. She was stopped once again by her big sister Prue. Prue had pulled down the safety bars that were raised ever so slightly on the one side. Pulling her baby sister into her arms and onto her lap she gently rocked her back and forth, as she rubbed her back.

Both her sisters had learned early just how to rub her back to get her to calm down and back to sleep. Only this time it didn’t seem to be working.

“Ssshhh Baby I got you. Big sis is not going to let anything happen to you.”
“Bad Man Pwue.”
“Oh now Phoebe. You don’t think that your big sis will let a bad man get you do you?”
“No. Bad Man get Pwue.” Phoebe said as she continued to cry as she clung to her big sister.

Prue looked down at Phoebe with some realization of what she said. ‘I’ll have to tell Grams in the Morning’ she thought. Prue cuddled her baby sister close to her and they both drifted off to sleep. Not knowing what tomorrow would bring.

The next morning Piper came into Phoebes room only to find both her sisters there. Phoebe fast asleep in Prues arms and Prue just watching her.

“Mush.” Piper said
Looking up to her sister, “Excuse me?” Prue asked
“You. You are a mushball when it come to her.”
“Am not.” Prue said defensively.
“Are too Prue. So what happened? Nother bad dream?”
“Yeah. She sure gets them a lot.”
“What could a three yr. old have a bad dream? All the time?”
“I don’t know. I think we should talk to Grams though.”
“Ok.” Piper said as she ran out of Phoebes nursery and down to Grams’ room.

“Grams. Phoebe had a bad dream again.”
“Oh not again.” Their Grams said as she got out of bed and headed to the nursery.
“Prue what happened?”
“I don’t know Grams. I woke up and heard her crying. When I got here she was trying to get over the bar. So I picked her up and I got her to go back to sleep.
“Ok here let me have her. You two go get ready for school.” She told her two older granddaughters, as she picked up Phoebe from Prue.
“Hmm no Pwue.” Phoebe reached back for her sister not wanting to let go. As she started to cry again.
“Prue what else happened?” Grams asked suspiciously.
“She said there was a bad man.”
“And.”
“I told her that I would protect her from the bad man. But she said that the bad man took me away.”
“Premonition.” Grams said more to herself
“What was that Grams?”
“Nothing dear. Why don’t you and Piper stay home today.”
“Cool.” Prue said Grams never let them just stay home. But she knew deep down that her Grams had a very good reason.

“I’m telling you Penny whatever Phoebe saw is big and bad. He’s after the power of the Charmed Ones. You have to bind their powers.”
“Gail I tried it doesn’t work for some reason. It may have to do with Phoebe.”
“Why Phoebe?”
“I tried to bind them a few weeks ago and that was when I noticed that it didn’t work. It was that night that Phoebe had her first nightmare.”
“What does Phoebe’s nightmares have to do with anything?”
“Everything Gail. They’re not nightmares. Phoebe has received her powers.”
“So bind them before it’s to late.”
“I think that Phoebe is having these nightmares for a reason and today it all made sense.”
“Why?”
“When Prue went to her last night. Phoebe told her that a bad man took her away. My guess is a demon.”
“So we just need to figure out who and when.”
“Easier said then done when you’re dealing with the imagination of a three yr. old.”
Laughing at that, “Yeah I guess you my have a point there Penny. But I wouldn’t put to much past Phoebe.”
“Yeah well I told the girls that they could stay home today. Besides Phoebe won’t let go of Prue. It’s so cute you should see them together.”
“Ok Penny I’ll be there in a couple of hours. Between the two of us maybe we can work this out. In the mean time show Phoebe the book. Maybe she’ll see who it was.”
“Ok Gail. I’ll see you later.”

Hanging up the phone Penny just watched her three granddaughters playing in the front room. Suddenly the front door flew open and a man in a full-length leather coat came crashing in. He saw Grams standing near the entrance to the living room but she was slow to react. He threw what looked like a type of net at her. As soon as it hit her she was paralyzed to move. He then reached down and picked up Phoebe from her sister’s arms and tossed her on the couch that was two feet away.
“PWUE!” she cried out.
Prue quickly reacted and used her own power to throw the man as far as she could. It was far enough for her to get away and to get to the crying Phoebe.
Picking up her sister Prue made her way over to Grams. Throwing the net off of her. Grams quickly recovered and threw the man out of the house.
Phoebe just cried into the crevasse of Prue neck.
“Its ok honey big sis has you now. The bad man is gone now.” Prue said as she gently bounced her sister.


“So what happened? I thought you said you would get her no problem/”
“I had a small problem. I think they knew I was coming.”
“That’s impossible. Unless.. No she couldn’t yet. And even if she did she wouldn’t understand.”
“Boss?”
“The baby. Phoebe. She has the power of premonition. But at her age it would just be a bad dream. She wouldn’t understand.”
“Maybe she does. Maybe she told them.”
“No. To her it would just be a monster or a bad man in the night.”
“Yeah but to a bunch of kids that’s all they would need. The word Monster. To send the whole house on alert.”
“Maybe.” The boss sat and wondered about the youngest Charmed One. “Ok tonight we take Phoebe. Then it will be easy to get at Prue.”
“Consider it done Boss.”
Phoebe still cried in Prue’s arms. Once the man was gone. Grams had tried to take her but Phoebe wouldn’t let go of her big sister. She had her little arms around her neck and her legs around her body.

“I got her Grams. It’s ok.” Prue told her.

They sat on the couch and Piper sat beside them as both sisters got Phoebe calmed down.
“I love you Phoebe.” Piper told her baby sister as she kissed her on the top of her head.
Soon the girls had her calmed down, as she drifted off to sleep.

Phoebe woke up on the couch and found that she was a lone. Sitting up she called for her sisters.
“Pwue? Biper?”
Getting no response Phoebe slowly started to get off the couch. Sliding down on her tummy she made her way to the kitchen.
“Pwue! Biper!” she hollered as tears started to form in her little eyes.
Prue came out of the kitchen and picked her up. “It’s ok Pheebs. Big sis is right here.”
“Phee love Pwue.” Phoebe told her as she nestled in her sister’s arms.

For the rest of the day Phoebe wouldn’t let Prue leave her for a second. She was scared that the bad man would come again to take her away.

After lunch there was a knock on the door. Grams knew it was Gail but the girls were a bit more cautious. They stood at the bottom of the stairs ready to run to the attic.
“Hi Gail. Thanx for coming.”
Piper saw who it was and ran to her. “Aunt Gail!”
Scooping up Piper easily in her arms Gail hugged her. “Hi there kiddo.”
“I still can’t believe that she does that to you and nobody else.” Grams said
“Must be magic.” Gail told her friend with a glimmer in her eye.
Laughing at her friend’s comment, “Yes I guess it is.”
“So have you looked in the book yet?”
“No we never had a chance.” Grams proceeded to tell Gail about what had happened just after she got off the phone.
“Did you see who it was?”
“No it all happened so fast. Luckily Prue was able to throw him away from her, and then help me.”
“Ok so lets go see what we have on the loose.”
“Prue why don’t you and Piper take Phoebe up to the nursery. Get her a bottle and see if you can get her to sleep. She’s had a busy day.”
“Ok Grams but I don’t think she’s going to sleep. She had a pretty good nap this morning.”
“I know honey but try. I think this is going to get worse before it gets better.”


“So boss what’s the big deal with Prue? What about her two sisters? I mean after all they are the prophesized Charmed Ones.”
“I know that. But she has the strongest powers. She will help me to complete my little trophy case.”
“Yeah but do you think she’ll co-operate?”
“If we threaten her sisters she’ll do anything. Ever since their mother died she has been the only mother they’ve had. She’ll do anything for them, even at her young age she understands the meaning of loyalty to ones family.”
“So we go again tonight?”
“Yes. They will probably think that we won’t come so soon after this morning. Get two of the dogs to go with you. That should help as well.”
“Done Boss.” He walked out of the office as his boss watched him leave.
“Soon Prudence you too will be apart of my collection of witches. The youngest mind you, but definitely worth the challenge. To both of us I think.”

“Penny there is nothing in here about a demon or warlock that has that kind of power.”
“There must be something Gail. I would rather not show Phoebe the Book. Prue and Piper very rarely see it. If I’m going to bind their powers and remove any knowledge they have about their magic then I want it to be as easy as possible. The more that they remember the harder it will be.”
“You may not have a choice Penny. Someone is after Prue and they may come after all three of them.”
Sighing Penny knew that her friend was right. She would have to show the Book to Phoebe and hopefully she can see a picture of the bad man as she had called him. “Ok lets take it down to the nursery. Maybe we can tell her it’s a bed time story or something.”

Penny was usually the one that would lead the way in things but when it came to her granddaughters she tended to let her emotions rule her mind. Gail was her best friend and she knew that, so she had taken charge of their little situation.

“Come on Phoebe take the bottle. You don’t have to go to sleep. Just lay with Prue and I for awhile.” Piper tried to get her sister to take the bottle
“Don’t want bottle. Phee a big girl.” Phoebe protested in her little three-yr. old way.
“Here let me try.” Prue said. “Pheebs. Come her baby.”
“No.” Phoebe said as she played in the corner of her room playing with her teddy bear.
“Please honey. Do you want big sis to cry?” Prue said as she started to pout.

Phoebe looked up at her big sister that now had a very sad face. Phoebe hated to see her big sister cry because of something that she had done. But she was cautious. Her sisters had done that before with her and it had been a trick.

Piper leaned over to Prues ear, “I think she’s getting wise to that trick Prue.”
“Maybe but let’s just take it one step further.” Prue started to cry. “I guess Phoebe doesn’t love her big sis anymore Piper. Here you watch her I’m going to go to our room.” Prue said with tears in her eyes as she got off the floor and headed for the door. After handing the bottle back to Piper.
Phoebe watched her big sister start to cry and that she thought Phoebe didn’t love her. Then she got up and started out the door. Phoebe couldn’t resist. “No go Pwue. Phee wove you.” She said as she grabbed Prues leg to stop her from leaving. “Phee take the bottle. Pwease don’t go.” Phoebe now also had tears in her eyes.
Prue stopped and picked up her baby sisters.
“Oh Pheebs I’m glad you still love me. I could never stop loving you.”

Sitting back on the floor with Phoebe in her arms she smiled over at Piper.
“That was almost to far Prue.”
“I know. But it worked didn’t it.” Phoebe sat on her lap leaning against Prue chest with the bottle in her little hands.
“This time. You know it won’t work forever.”
“I know.”

Grams came in the room just as Phoebe was fighting off the sleep that would soon consume her. “Girls I need to have you tell Phoebe a bit of a bedtime story.”
“Grams she’s almost a sleep now.” Prue told her as she looked up at Grams. After all the trouble they had had trying to get their sisters to sleep, now Grams wants to wake her up just so we can read her a story.
“I’m sorry Prue but this is important. Just show her the pictures.”
“Ok.” Prue looked down at Phoebe who was trying very hard to stay awake. “Pheebs can you look at the picture book with us?”
Phoebe just nodded at her big sister.
“Ok Come on.” Prue shifted Phoebe in her lap as they placed the BOS in front of them with Grams and Aunt Gail sitting down beside them as well.
“Pheebs if you see a picture that looks like the bad man you tell us ok?” Her Grams asked
Again Phoebe just nodded.

As they flipped through the pages Phoebe would sometimes turn away from the pictures in the book and cuddle in to Prue
“Monster.” She would say.
“It’s ok Pheebs. They’re just pictures they can’t hurt you.” Prue reassured her.

They continued to flip through the book with Phoebe looking at each picture. At one picture she reached out and placed her little hand on the face of a demon. To her sisters surprise she didn’t seem afraid of him. “Is that him sweetie?” Grams asked her.
Phoebe just shock her head no.
Gail looked at the picture with curiosity. “Well I’m glad to her that. I don’t think the girls are ready to face Belthazor yet Penny.”
“And going by what we’ve heard I hope thy never have to.”

A few more pages in Phoebe let out a little squeal. “Bad Man take Pwue.” She said as she grabbed her sister by the neck. “No take Pwue.”
“I think we found him.” Penny said. “Ok girls Aunt Gail and I are going to take care of this. Take Phoebe down stairs and see what you can find for a snack.”
“Ok Grams.” Piper said as her and Prue got up from the floor and went downstairs with Phoebe, who was still hanging on to Prue for fear of her leaving.

“Phoebe do you want an apple?” Piper asked her sister.
“Apple.” Phoebe replied
“I guess that’s a yes.” Prue laughed at her baby sister who was still sitting on her lap
“Prue you’re gonna have to cut it. Give me Phoebe.”
“If she’ll let me go,” Prue said as she stood up from her chair and past Phoebe to Piper once she sat down.
“Pwue.” Phoebe started to as her bottom lip quivered.
“It’s ok honey. I’m just going to cut the apple for you and Piper.”
This calmed Phoebe down as she realized that her sister was not leaving. Then the three of them sat at the table and shared the apples that Prue had sliced up. Phoebe was once again trying to fight off sleep as she cuddled into Piper and was soon fast asleep.
“I guess Grams was right. Busy day for our baby girl.” Prue said as she picked up Phoebe and took her to the nursery. Kissing her baby sister on her forehead before she left her room and closed the door quietly.
“Prue?””
“Yes Piper?”
“Do you think that Phoebes bad dream will really happen?”
Prue saw the look on Pipers face and pulled her to her lap as they sat on Prues bed. “Not if Grams and Aunt Gail have anything to say about it. Besides I promised Pheebs that I wasn’t going anywhere.”
“Good.”

They just sat on the bed cuddling each other. It had been a busy day for all three of the girls and they too drifted off to sleep. Not knowing what would soon happen could tear them apart at such a young age.

“I’m telling you Penny the only way is the Power of Three spell.”
“They’re to young Gail. And Phoebe can hardly put a sentence together. How is she supposed to remember that.”
“She doesn’t have to. As long as Prue and Piper are holding her hands and they say it; it should work.”
“It’s the word ‘should’ that scares me. What if it doesn’t?”
“It will Penny you have to have trust in their powers. They’re a lot more powerful then we realize.”
“Ok but I don’t have to like this.”

“Ok boys stand watch at the door. I’ll go and get the baby.” He told his hounds: Pure breed Doberman pinchers. Blessed with magic that nobody really understood including their master. They were immune to the power of witches. Which in this case would prove very helpful. The two dogs stood outside Prue and Pipers room as he entered into Phoebes. She was awake and staring up at the ceiling when she saw him. Screaming her sisters and Grams quickly came from the various parts of the house. The girls stopped suddenly as they came face to face with the two dogs.
“Uh Prue I can’t freeze them.” Piper said
“And I can’t throw them.” Prue replied.

Both sisters just froze themselves not wanting to upset the two dogs even more.

Grams and Gail came running down the attic stairs also to see the dogs at the door to the girl’s room with the girls frozen, to scared to move. One dog turned towards them.
“Grams our powers don’t work on them.” Prue told her Grams with fear in her voice. She was scared but she was more scared of what was happening to Phoebe. She could hear her baby sister crying and there was nothing that she could do. Suddenly she felt herself fall and the next thing she knew she was in the nursery face to face with the bad man from earlier.
“What? How?”
“Leave her be.” Prue told him. Only he had yet to grab a hold of Phoebe. She was high above the floor. Crying uncontrollably from the bad man in her room and the fact that she was touching the ceiling and had no idea why.
“Well I’ll make you a deal. You’re the one He wants. Come with me now and I’ll leave your sister alone.”
Prue thought a minute and then decided. She couldn’t let anything happen to Phoebe. “Ok. But let me say good by first.”
“Here boys.” He called after his dogs. “Go and let the boss know that I have his prize.”

As soon as the dogs were gone Prue returned to her body and her and Piper ran into Phoebes room.
Looking to the man she tried to convince her sister to come down. Phoebe came down from the air and Prue picked her up. Still crying she nestled in her big sisters neck. “No go Pwue.”
“It’ll be ok Pheebs. Piper will take care of you. One day I’ll see you again.”
“NO!” Phoebe yelled as she hung onto to her sister tighter.
“I’m doing this because I love you Phoebe. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
Phoebe continued to cry in Prues arms and Piper also was hanging onto her sister.

Grams and Aunt Gail ran down the remainder of the hall as soon as the dogs were gone.
“Phoebe?” Grams called out
She saw Phoebe come down from the ceiling and straight to Prue. She glared evilly at the man in her granddaughters’ room.
“Who are you?” She demanded.
“I’m just a servant to Zlotnik.” He told her.
“What do you want with my granddaughter?”
“He wants her for his witch collection. He has many witches that he has collect over the years. But your granddaughter has two very powerful powers that he wants for his own. You see he gets the witches to use their powers for his use. Prudence here will be the youngest that he has ever had. But he also realizes that she could be the most challenging of all his trophies.”
“Trophies?” Grams was now fuming mad. “How dare he.” She stepped forward to approach him.
“Huh. I wouldn’t if I was you. Remember what happened last time? And what will be stopping me from talking all three?”
“Grams it’s ok.” Prue said with pride. She pulled Piper close to her so that the three could have one last hug. “Don’t ever forget that big sis loves you two ok? Piper take care of Phoebe for me ok?”
“Ok. I love you Prue.”
“Prue the power of three lives in all three of you.” Grams hinted to her oldest grandchild.
Prue looked up at her and realized what she was saying. Placing Phoebe on the floor she took one hand, “Piper hold on to Phoebes hand.”
Piper held on to Phoebe with some recognition of what they were about to do.

Prue started quietly at first so that Piper could hear her but nobody else. Then Piper started as well. Then to every ones surprise Phoebe also joined in. Only her chant came out more like the pow of twee. But after several chants the servant of Zlotnik burst in to flames.

Phoebe looked at where he was standing. “Bad man gone?”
Prue bent down and hugged her baby sister. “Yes sweetie he’s gone and he’ll never hurt you or me ever again.”
Phoebe just snuggles into Prue as the three of them just stood in the nursery hugging and loving one another.

Grams and Gail looked at each other and shared a look. “Now Penny.”
“I know Gail.”

As Penny and Gail stepped just outside the nursery Penny rose her hand and started a chant very quietly. She had bound her granddaughter’s powers. She erased their memories of all that was magical. ‘One day my darlings you will remember this day, and all that came about. But as long as your powers are bound then you will be safe. As long as you have no powers then there would be no reason for demons and warlocks to come after you.’ She thought to herself.

Far away Zlotnik watched what had happened. “One day Prudence you will join my small coven of witches and your powers will be used for my greater good. But as long as your powers are bound then you shall be safe. So until that day my sweet. Enjoy your life as a mortal.”